24 Hours...Living the Dream

Calvin is now 24 hours old...it's so hard to believe. It's all like a dream now, everything happened so fast. At 11:00 on Sunday morning Mom's water broke, but not much happened until Mama and Daddy returned from a walk around 3:30. Over the next couple of hours contractions began to come on quickly. Around 5:00 Daddy called the midwife who arrived about 6:15, and by 7:30 Mom was pushing, and at 7:58pm Calvin James Shiflet made his first public appearance met by wild cheers and applause. :) Be sure and stay tuned for Mom's version of events in a future post!

Calvin is sleeping well, and both he and Mama are getting some good rest. Mama is taking it easy but is able to be up and about throughout the day. It has been such a blessing to be able to have Calvin born right here at home.

I simply can't get over how adorable Calvin is, I can't take my eyes (or hands) off of him! It all seems so wonderful that sometimes I think it must be a dream. But if it is, I hope I never wake up. It is difficult to express what it is like to hold a little babe in my arms and to know it's not just anybody's baby, but my own baby brother, it seems as though it is too good to be true and that I soon must wake up from this dream that has overtaken me!

I Praise the Lord for the blessing of children, of life, of little Calvin, and his precious little soul that God has entrusted to our care!!!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Well here's some more pictures from last night and this morning. Daddy took most of these, I've found holding Calvin is even more fun than taking pictures! So for once, I've gladly resigned my post...for now. :)

I had the wonderful privilege of being the first to dress little Calvin. His hands are so tiny, but his feet certainly are not! They are the biggest baby feet I think I have ever seen!!! (I'll have to post some feet pictures soon. :)

Ahh...J.Michael beat me to it, he was the first of the kids to get to hold him. :)

Well, seconds are not bad...:D

The Next Morning...Kathlena's first time to hold Calvin.

And Andrews...

Calvin at 2 & 1/2 Hours Old

Mama is doing well, and the baby is as healthy as could be. All of us kids enjoyed getting to see "baby Calvin", touching his soft fuzzy hair and examining his (not-so) tiny features. :) He's as chunky as can be and keeps trying to suck his thumb but never finds it. Calvin seems to like his blue blanket...which I finished minutes before his birth...:) He managed to catch us all by surprise. :D

Well, we're all off to get some much needed rest, more tomorrow.

I am pleased to announce...

It's a boy!

Calvin James Shiflet

9 Pounds, 13 Ounces
21 & 1/2 Inches

Born at 7:58PM

Baby Updates..

The baby is here!!!! Born at 7:58PM!!!!!

Baby Update

I think I may have heard a baby crying....

40 Weeks Tomorrow...The Time is Drawing Near

Long story short -Mom's in labor!!!! Could be anytime now, she's getting ready to push!!!!

38 weeks-Getting Ready

38 weeks is finally here. We could be in the "anytime" zone now. We have the birth pool ready and Daddy and the boys have worked out a convenient system for filling and emptying the pool for me. The above video demonstrates their good ole' Aggie engineering. Everyone is getting excited about the baby arriving soon. Kathlena likes to swim in "baby Shiflet's pool" and so does Mommy. The birth pool is so comfy and wonderful to get into at this stage of the pregnancy. I think I would recommend one for every pregnant Mom to have at the end even if you do not intend to have a home or water birth.

I am still feeling pretty good. Just harder to move around and my hips and joints feel so loose! I am very thankful for my compression hose though...they have been a great source of comfort and energy. They are called a second heart helping with circulation to your legs. I definitely would have these on my list as a must have if you have any circulatory issues such as varicose veins. I am still sleeping well which is a huge blessing as I am sure sleep will be in short supply here before too long.

We have set record high "low" temperatures this week. I have to laugh as it seems with each of my pregnancies there have been record unseasonable warm temps. I am looking forward to the cool weather coming and hoping the change in temp will spur on this little ones arrival.

I have been asked if I am having twins to which I reply "No, just one really big one" I am hoping that I do not go over 10lbs. Emily was 8.1 and JMichael was 9.0lbs so hopefully the trend does not continue up so rapidly! The baby is still moving around quite a bit just doesn't have as much room to do his/her acrobatics he/she was doing last month. I am frequently asked if it is a boy or girl. All along it has really been a mystery to me. I am not sure if it is that I have been told so many times that it is a boy that is making me lean that direction, but of late I have started to think it will be a boy. Although, I am not giving up on the idea of a girl for Kathlena. We will have so much fun either way and soon the mystery will be solved.